Spring is here....

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring in Southern parts, and we have enjoyed a mild winter, particularly August has been warm and great weather for lambing, which got underway for us during the last week.  A tiny vase of pretty little flowers is just the thing to say 'Spring'.......

In my last post I mentioned a retreat I had been on recently, and here are a couple of things I worked on while enjoying uninterrupted sewing time, what a treat that was.... two and a half days of it!!  This is a little Dresden pillow that I finished at retreat, and was part of the birthday swap gifts I sent to Leanne recently.  Without even discussing it, we ended up both making each other gifts from Bonnie and Camille fabrics, great minds think alike right?!

I also made Leanne a table runner in a kind of sampler format using half square triangles.  This was so fun to make, I used some of the bonus HST's left over from my 2012 FQS Block of the Month quilt, and added some more from the Vintage Modern range for variety. I did include some little extras but forgot to take a photo of them.

One of the main things I worked on while I was away was to finish up the Designer Mystery BOM, I have now made it up to this red border, I am unsure about the next white border with the pinwheel corners, I may try something different, or even leave it as is, it's already plenty big enough for me. This means that now I can start the 2013 BOM.  I have three blocks sitting waiting for me already!

 

A better pic of the colours - hanging on the clothesline late this afternoon.....

There were a couple of other projects I worked on, but one of them is still a little surprise so I will share it when it is done.  Since I've returned from retreat, I haven't really achieved much crafty-wise, but I will try and get a few stitches done some evenings during lambing(if I can stay awake that late!)

I am going to use my 'free pass' this month for the Stitch Along blog, I am still working on July's bag, so I don't think I'm going to get the August one done in the next few hours.....   

Thanks for visiting with me today... hope you're getting some stitching time in your day..... Nicky x

My Friday Night with Friends and lovely gifts

My Friday Night with Friends started a little later than I planned, with our girls both having netball games on Friday evening, but better late than never right... and here is the littlest peak at some secret sewing I've been working on tonight.  These are some of those wonderful 'bonus' half square  triangles left over from my Fat Quarter Shop Designer Mystery BOM blocks.  I've also added a few different fabrics from a charm pack for some variety, do you think you can guess what I'm working on??   If you were joining in tonight for FNWF, I hope you got lots done too.... and a big thanks to Cheryll for hosting us all.

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to win Anthea - Hibiscus Stitches beautiful giveaway of some goodies she purchased at a big Craft Show. A pretty floral fat quarter, a Cottage Garden Thread(I've heard lots of good things about these) and a pair of gorgeous bunny scissors.  It is all so pretty, I love it Anthea!

So imagine my surprise when included in the parcel was this lovely mug rug, with the prettiest seed packet fabric on the front, and backed with this cool black and white 'quilt words' fabric, can you see some of the block names and quilting expressions on it?  Thanks so much Anthea, I love it all and am so thrilled to have been the lucky winner!

I was going to make the next part another post on another day, but my presence here has been rare lately so I'll just put it all in the one post!!  Here are the final four blocks of the 2012 FQS BOM.  I finished these last month, but only got some quick pics today....

 Block 9 - Lakeside Retreat - Designed by Joanna Figueroa

Block 10 - Sunday Drive - Designed by Polly Minick and Laurie Simpson

Block 11 - County Fair - Designed by Julie Comstock

Block 12 - April Showers - Designed by Sweetwater

 I have the first 6 blocks joined into their rows with their flying geese for sashing, there is a big vertical red and white stripe fabric to go between each horizontal row, but I need to take my time cutting that so I don't stuff it up!

The rush is on to get this one finished as the new 2013 Designer Mystery BOM has started and I have block one sitting here waiting to be started.  I saw a few girls were going to be getting stuck into that one tonight, hope it went well for you!

Thanks for visiting today, I will try and be back a lot sooner next time.... happy stitching...Nicky x

A Winning Week

Earlier this week our Miss 10 had some exciting mail all the way from the Land of Oz.. We were lucky enough to win one of 5 lovely bags that Fiona of BubzRugz was giving away.  And Miss 10 was doubly excited to receive chocolate too!  Thank you Fiona for such a lovely gift, she has stashed a few treasures into it already.......

My winning streak continued yesterday when I won a wonderful giveaway from Linda at Razzle Dazzle Quilter.  I have won the clever quilting skills of Linda who will long arm quilt a top for me, isn't that such a generous gift......Thank you Linda.....

So far this week I have worked on a variety of projects, I quilted and bound my little Ruby quilt for Chookyblue's Caring with Quilts bushfire appeal.  Just need to make and attach a label and it will be on it's way......     This was a great pattern called Between Charming Friends which I found here, and was originally designed by Darlene.  

I made Block 7  & 8 from the FQS Designer Mystery Block of the Month.......... this is Block 7 'Moonlight Serenade', designed by Sandy Gervais...........

......... and Block 8 'Lime Sherbet', designed by Bonnie Olaveson and Camille Roskelley.........

 ......... and I started making some of the Flying Geese units that make up the sashing that will finish this quilt. 

I have also started the Stitch-A-Long project for February, which is a tote bag from Natalie Birds Red Home Book, this is the beginning of the stitchery panel,.  I'm stitching in green, which is something a little different for me!

Last night I stitched the little tulips miniblock in the top right of this block from my Leanne's House BOM.  Leanne and I have been stitching along together once a week on this project(in the virtual way only as we live in different countries with different timezones ..... lol) and I have found it very motivating to know that someone else is getting on with it too.  Thanks Leanne!

So you can see it's been a busy sewing week mixed in with girls returning to school, working with lambs, weeding my vege garden and various other 'stuff' that is always needing done.  

I hope your week is going great, as always thanks for making it all the way to the bottom.........lol

Till next time ......... happy stitching........... Nicky x

When all else fails read the instructions.........

I had some time at the sewing machine yesterday, and thought I'd get the piecing started for the zipper bag I've been working on from Anni Downs' Simple Life book.  So I happily joined all my little mini charm squares and then wondered why they looked like this bag would be enormous........ turns out I was meant to be using 1 1/2" squares, not 2 1/2".   That saying about measuring twice and cutting once...... it is absolutely right, you usually do have to cut at least once....... rather than not at all!  NOT happy - next time I will be more careful  and actually READ the instuctions!

I also got Block 6 of the FQS BOM together, all up to date now, and ready for Block 7 to land in my mailbox.  This block was designed by Kate Spain and is called 'Town Square'. 

Running a little behind with these two November blocks for the Scrappy Stars Sew Along that Terry has been inspiring ........ check out her stars all made up into a top already.

  

And finally this is the ornament I sent to Cheryl in Chookyblues SSCS exchange ........ it is the 2010 Snowman by Lizzie Kate.

I was so sad to hear of the tragedy in Connecticut, my thoughts and good wishes are with all in the US.  

Till next time............ happy stitching.........Nicky

Some stitching progress

I thought it might be time for an update on some ongoing projects......

• This is where I'm up to with Christmas Garden, by Blackbird Designs, the second pic is where I was at back in May(didn't think it had been that long....lol)  The top pic is a better representation of the fabric colour.

• Next is Block 5 of the Fat Quarter Shop Designer Mystery BOM.  This block is designed by the Blackbird Designs girls Barb and Alma...... still loving these fabrics.  Block 6 is ready to sew and Block 7 should be in the mailbox any day.

• I had my first attempt at prairie points on the first of two Pinwheel baby quilts, this is the completed top in Ruby fabrics, and I now need to add the prairie points to the one I have done in Bliss fabric.  The little twin girls these are for recently turned 1, so I need to make this a priority!!  Not sure how I will quilt these yet.......... 

I have heard from my lovely SSCS partner Cheryl in California that her parcel has arrived.  I can't find the photos I took of it, but when I do I will share the ornament I sent here.

We finished weaning our lambs this week, this was about 2000 ewes heading for the back of the farm yesterday .........

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Our girls are finished school for the year, they have both had a great year at school, our Miss 12 was awarded with the General Excellence prize for her class.  She was first in English, Mathematics, Science, Phys Ed and Visual Art, and also received a prize for Citizenship.  Our Miss 10 performed beautifully in her kapa haka group at their breakup, and has received a school report for the year that we are so proud of.  Apologies for the skiting, but there are two very proud parents here........  :o)

I hope your Christmas plans are going as they should, I'm off to town today to make sure that we will be ready too.

Till next time .......... happy stitching............ Nicky

Friday Night Sew-In

Last night I joined in with lots of girls all around the globe for Friday Night Sew-In.  I made up Blocks 2 and 3 of the FQS Designer Mystery Quilt last night, and finished up Block 4 this morning.  It feels great to be up to date on this, as you know me, it doesn't take much for me to get behind and then never get these things finished!

Block 2 - Mint Julep - Designed by Lisa Bongean

Block 3 - Weather Vane - Designed by Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobson

Block 4 - Breezy Afternoon - Designed by Aneela Hoey

Thanks for all the kind comments on the canvas I made for Miss 10's recent birthday.  A big thankyou too for all the visits to my Miss 12's little blog.  She has really appreciated your visits and encouraging comments.  I am not letting her email people directly at this stage, so please accept hers and my thanks!  

Right then, I'm off to mow the lawn, and make the most of a beautiful Saturday afternoon........  and maybe get some stitching tonight after the lambs are all fed.......... have a great weekend......... Nicky

Sunday sewing

It was a beautiful day yesterday, so warm, with most of the day spent outdoors, but I did find time for a little machine piecing.  I have been collecting the Designer Mystery Block of the Month from the Fat Quarter Shop for the last couple of months.  Never done one of these before, but I thought it might help my piecing accuracy and get me over my dislike/fear of triangles!  I've seen a lot of people in blogland have all of their blocks done and up to date, so I finally started on Block 1 yesterday.

Loving the Vintage Modern fabrics by Bonnie and Camille, so pretty.   These FQS kits are so generous, there is probably enough fabric to make two blocks for each month!  However, I am more excited about the prospect of these bonus Half Square Triangle squares.   Now this is probably nothing new to quilters out there, but I only recently read about 'bonus triangles' here.  By drawing and stitching an extra line  onto my squares when I am making up the Flying Geese unit, I have all these sweet little HST squares, and by the look of the next couple of blocks, there will be quite a few more from this project.  Aren't they just so cute, doesn't take much to get me excited, does it??  Now to decide what to do with them all ..........

I hope you spent part of your weekend doing something fun too.........till next time, Nicky

PS: Our first lambs arrived yesterday too.........woohoo..... spring has sprung........